Archives for 2017

Written by Matt Jalink, MSc Candidate in Community Health and Epidemiology
Interview with CCGH Attendee Rachel Ollivier, MScN Candidate

Rachel had the opportunity to attend the three-day Canadian Conference for Global Health (CCGH) in Ottawa at the end of October. The conference brought together leaders in the global health field to present and discuss current challenges and various research projects and initiatives aimed to combat these challenges. I had the chance to sit down with Rachel Ollivier, a Master of Science in Nursing candidate at Dalhousie University, to ask her about her experiences at the conference.

What are you studying here at Dalhousie and how did your past and current studies influence your experience at the Canadian Conference for Global Health?

I’ve just begun my first year of the Master of Science in Nursing program here at Dal, and I’ll be working with Dr. Megan Aston and Dr. Sheri Price as my co-supervisors. My thesis research will aim to explore the experiences of postpartum childbearing persons with perinatal sexual health education using a feminist post-structural methodology. Before coming to Dalhousie, I completed my undergraduate nursing degree at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus. While studying at UBCO, I had the opportunity to work as a research assistant with Dr. Kathy Rush on her work in Western Province, Zambia after completing my final nursing practicum there; an experience that spurred a keen interest in global health research.

What was your overall impression of the conference?

I really enjoyed it! There was a diverse range of topics presented and discussed; the content of the sessions was fairly dense, though very thought-provoking. I especially enjoyed the workshop sessions, some of which were in my area of interest, being maternal and reproductive health. Shawna O’Hearn [Director of the Global Health Office] co-chaired one standout session on allyship in global health partnerships.

What was your favourite session you attended? Who was presenting and what did you take away from the discussion?

It’s tough to choose one favourite, but one workshop that I really enjoyed was “From gender blind to gender transformative global health research”, lead by Rosemary Morgan from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Sarah Ssali from Makerere University in Uganda. We discussed how gender analysis should be incorporated into global health research. The ‘Allyship’ workshop was also a favourite because it explored the importance of acknowledging privilege and how that plays into fostering meaningful, impactful global health partnerships. It’s a topic that some researchers, such as my supervisor Dr. Megan Aston, have been promoting for years but remains ignored by many- it’s the elephant in the room. Allyship is a day-to-day practice and the presenters discussed how and why impact must be emphasized over intent when working with others, whether it be abroad or at home.

Did you meet any interesting people over the three days?

Absolutely, there were so many great global health leaders to meet and connect with. I was able to reconnect with Dr. Fastone Goma, my colleague from the University of Zambia. We got to know each other better and finally meet in person after many emails back and forth throughout the summer! I also had the chance to meet Dr. Vic Neufeld from the University of Victoria through the Canadian Coalition for Global Health Research. Dr. Neufeld is a wonderful, passionate mentor and is great at facilitating relationships and partnerships in the global health field. Dr. Sarah Ssali from the Department of Women and Gender Studies at Makerere University in Uganda was also an amazing person to connect with and shared very valuable insight.

What are your future career plans and how did attending the CCGH influence this plan?

I will be applying to bridge into the PhD in Nursing program here at Dalhousie as the next step in pursuing a career in global health research! I’m incredibly fortunate to have mentors both here in Canada and abroad to help facilitate future work in the field. One of my many reasons for choosing Dalhousie for my graduate studies was the opportunity to become involved with the WHO/PAHO Collaborating Centre for Health Workforce Planning & Research, where I am currently working as a research assistant with Dr. Gail Tomblin Murphy, the Centre’s Director, and Janet Rigby. I am also planning to apply for the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarship, which would allow me the opportunity to travel to either Ifakara or Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, from May-August 2018, to assist with research, likely in the area of maternal and newborn health.

I would like to thank Rachel for sitting down with me to share her fantastic experience at the Canadian Conference for Global Health, and we wish her the best in her future studies and research career!

For more information on this annual conference please visit the CCGH website.

By: Keisha Jefferies,

As a recipient of a conference bursary through the Johnson Scholarship Foundation, I was able to attend the Canadian Association of Perinatal and Women’s Health Nurses (CAPWHN) 7th National Conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia. As an attendee and presenter, I had the opportunity to connect and learn from a diverse group of professionals and researchers in the field of women’s health.

While many of the presentations related to initiatives and research here in Canada, there were also several presentations that centered on women’s and maternal health abroad in countries such as Haiti, Tanzania and Nigeria. It was fascinating to hear about these international partnerships and work that is currently being done by Canadian researchers in collaboration with international teams. Some of the highlights from the international work include: breastfeeding and HIV considerations, maternal mortality and midwifery practice and strengthening international partnerships.

I also had the opportunity to deliver both an oral and poster presentation. For the oral presentation, I co-presented with Dr. Megan Aston and Danielle Macdonald on postpartum care delivered by nurse midwives and obstetricians in Tanzania. My poster presentation was on the health policy analysis work that I completed while in Tanzania, as part of my Masters program. Each of the presentations was extremely well received and generated critical discussion, especially around implementation and moving research into practice and policy.

Another highlight from the conference includes being able to connect with clinicians, researchers and faculty from across Canada. Expanding my professional network will undoubtedly add value to the research that I intend to pursue in maternal and newborn health as well as work in the African Nova Scotian community.

I would again like to thank the Johnson Scholarship Foundation and the Global Health Office for this opportunity. I am looking forward to attending the 8th National Conference next year in Ottawa.

For more information on this conference opportunity please visit our Diversity webpage.

By: Sarah Peddle, Service Learning Program Manager

The past two years have been very exciting times for the new Service Learning Program at Dalhousie Medicine. We have gone from the developmental stage of the program to full implementation and evaluation. We have seen what was once a bunch of community-based project ideas come full circle as completed works along with meaningful community-university partnerships and experiences.

At Dalhousie Medicine, The Service Learning Program (MEDI2612) is offered during the first two years of Undergraduate Medical Education at both the Halifax and Saint John campuses. The program integrates community engagement concepts into classroom-based learning (Professional Competencies I) in their first year with an optional community-based project experience in their second year. Students who opt to take part in the for credit program do a minimum of 20 hours in order to complete the service learning experience over the academic year.

In terms of process, Students apply for the program and are matched with community-based not-for-profit organizations, or develop their own experiences based on existing partnerships they have, and who work with marginalized and underserved populations. The experience includes preparation, critical reflection assignments and a project deliverable that is relevant and useful for the community partner and their clients. The projects are designed in collaboration with community partners (including staff and people who use their services) and the university (students, staff and Faculty).

In celebration of our first two years, we have created a video in partnership with the MedIT Video Audio Production team under the leadership of Matthew Stones. The video is a promotional tool for the program that can be used when explaining what service learning is and what our program has too offer. Special thanks to our 2016-17 program participants for their contributions to this video and on-going support.

By: Justine Dol, PhD in Health

With great opportunities, come great responsibilities: Three key responsibilities for students volunteering internationally. Lessons learned from experience as a QES Scholar in Tanzania.

As a Canadian student working in a foreign country during the summer of 2017, it was essential for me to consider how my actions influence both the individuals I had the opportunity to work with as well as the community and place in which I was working. For my Queen Elizabeth Scholar (QES) placement, I worked at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Science (MUHAS) located in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Based on this experience and my previous international experiences, I was reminded of several responsibilities that come along with these experiences that I would encourage other students to be mindful of before embarking on international travel. These include the need for co-operation and consultation with locals, being aware of personal motives and limitations, and enabling the exchange of information and capacity development.

The first key responsibility that I would argue that we as student volunteers have is co-operation and consultation with the local people in the area that we are working in. Communication is essential to develop the partnership mentality, where you can work together with your supervisors and peers at your placement, rather than approaching the placement with an (un)conscious bias of a ‘me versus them’ perception. Despite some of the best intentions, if local people or local organizations are not consulted, it can result in an “othering” of the people you are trying to help. It is important to work with local individuals to know the best way to help and contribute, rather than making them feel inferior or by compromising ongoing work. This will allow growth in both the host communities and the volunteers. Unfortunately, far too often this responsibility is ignored.

For my placement at MUHAS, I worked closely with my supervisor, Dr. Thecla Kohi, to assist with ongoing projects as was needed, rather than trying to complete my own agenda. When I did have the opportunity to lead my own research project, I made sure to involve my supervisor at every step and utilize her expertise in conducting research in Tanzania. Her expertise with postnatal mothers and nurse midwives advanced my project and contributed to the ongoing research in the School of Nursing at MUHAS.

The second key responsibility of being a student volunteer is being aware of our personal motives and limitations. I had to ask myself: am I going to put the experience on my CV? For personal development and growth? Because I have an autistic desire to build capacity in others? To participate in research in an international setting? I think for me, it was a little bit of all the above. But maybe for other students, it is for some other reason. But by acknowledging where your desire to volunteer internationally comes from, it allows you to approach the trip in an honest manner. Additionally, it is important that as a volunteer, we acknowledge our limitations. For instance, why is it okay if I go build a house in a developing country when I have no house building experience in Canada and would not want to live in a house I built myself? I think that a large responsibility as a student volunteer is to acknowledge why we want to volunteer in the first place, and then acknowledging our limitations to assist the people we want to help. Rather than going into another country pretending to know all the answers because I come from a Canada, I think it is important to work alongside locals who are knowledgeable and capable of doing the work that is necessary but our assistance could lighten their load.

For instance, during my placement at MUHAS I was involved in data analysis for several qualitative projects where the data had been collected but my supervisor was over burden with other responsibilities and unable to take the lead on the analysis. As someone who has had previous experience with qualitative research and analysis, I was in the position to assist with the qualitative analysis. I did not attempt to get involved in areas where I do not have the necessary skills, such as working in a clinical setting, as I do not have the necessary qualifications. Instead, I contributed the skills I possess in a meaningful way to meet a need identified by my placement.

This leads into the third key responsibility of student volunteering internationally, which is the goal of exchanging information and building capacity. This responsibility is two-fold. First, an equal exchange of information between volunteers and locals is important, as it reflects partnership building, mentioned in the first responsibility. The goal of volunteering should be to share knowledge and empower locals to increase sustainability and capacity. I believe knowledge transfer is important in terms of volunteering because this reciprocity will build local capacity through building the tools they need to develop their own successes. It is also important that the knowledge exchange works both ways, as volunteers cannot assist in providing knowledge without knowing, from the individuals or community itself, what their needs are. The only way that proper exchange of knowledge will occur is through listening to the partners for their true needs, rather than using top down ideas to assist. Secondly, student volunteers are in a unique position to pass on knowledge of a country that other people might not know about. By having student volunteers share their experiences once they return to their home country, it could help to correct the stereotypes that people might hold.

For myself, after spending over three months in Tanzania, I have unique knowledge of the country and can share first-hand knowledge of the culture with people at home in Canada. I believe this is important as student volunteers because we should take what we learnt and continue to spread knowledge of our time away when we return home. The QES program is set up in such a way that public engagement is a requirement. This is key to ensure that exchange of information occurs and continued building capacity in Canada and internationally.

Overall, being a student volunteer in a country different than your own can offer some amazing opportunities, both personally and for the people you will be working with. However, before leaving, it is important to ask yourself some questions. Is what I am going to be doing there needed? Why am I going? How can I share about my experiences once I get home? I believe that the QES program at Dalhousie University has the right ideas, as it involves pre-training before volunteers arrive, co-operation between partners and universities as well as evaluation and public engagement afterwards. If we understand our responsibilities, it will result in the best experience not only for the student volunteer but also for our partners.

By: Beatrix Yuan, Bachelor of Science in Health promotion

It is hard to believe that my time in Tanzania is coming to an end soon. During my stay, I learned Swahili, explored nearby sceneries, and made some great friends. I really appreciate the opportunity to come to Tanzania and to spend time with all the amazing people that I met here.

During my internship at TTCIH (Tanzania Training Centre for International Health, Ifakara) my overarching goal is to learn about qualitative data analysis through working on the ASDIT (Accessing Safe Deliveries in Tanzania) Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) transcripts. The FGDs were conducted in the five catchment areas served by five different health facilities in Morogoro region, Tanzania. In each catchment area, three groups of participants were interviewed: pregnant women and their husbands, post-partum women and their husbands, as well as community leaders and health facility staff members. The FGDs were recorded, transcribed and translated into English. During the FGDs, the following topics were discussed: the social context for women to access obstetric care, quality of care, family norms and support related to childbirth, eighteen-and-under pregnancy, and recommendations for the public health services. Through analysing the transcripts, I was able to identify several key factors that affect women who live in rural Tanzania and their access to quality obstetric care.

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to shadow at the One-Stop Clinic at St. Francis Hospital. The Clinic offers comprehensive services for HIV/AIDS testing, counselling services, informational sessions on HIV/AIDS, and community outreach services. I observed the testing service and follow-up counselling services. Through this shadowing experience, I learned about facilitators and barriers of people infected by HIV/AIDS accessing health services.

(HIV/AIDS testing kit)

I also went on my first Safari trip at the Ruaha National Park, which was very exciting. We were greeted by many lovely animals, such as elephants, giraffes, monkeys, lions, and a leopard (which is very rare to see).

I really appreciate the opportunity QES and the Global Health Office gave me to conduct research and experience cultures in Tanzania. I would really love to come back sometime in the future. It is not easy to fit in to a new environment, especially in another country; but as long as you go in with patience, respect, an open heart, and a respectful and understanding attitude, you will be able to find your way in and make some true friends for life.

Written by Matt Jalink, MSc Candidate in CH&E

Canadian Global Health Conference – Day 1 – October 29, 2017

It is exciting being at my first Canadian Global Health Conference here in Ottawa! The first day of the conference opened up with a stellar line-up of global health celebrities including Partner’s in Health Co-founder and internationally recognized humanitarian Dr. Paul Farmer, former MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières) director Dr. James Orbinsky. Fellow panelist Shakira Choonara walked everyone through a simulation of what visually impaired individuals have to experience when taking their own medicine, which involved a blindfold and the reading of a prescription.

The concurrent sessions throughout the day were informative, educational, and captivating! Discussions about building capacity in different country contexts, implementation research in the context of HIV and HCV, and insights into community engagement in the context of Ebola were all fantastic symposiums and workshops to learn and talk about global health issues.

Tomorrow’s program looks just as impressive as today’s, and I am looking forward to more exciting, interesting, and creative discussions about global health!

Written by Matt Jalink – MSc Candidate in Community Health and Epidemiology

“The world is running out of antibiotics” – WHO report

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms change in ways that cause existing medications (ex. antibiotics – bacterial infections, antivirals – viral infections) to be ineffective. These resistant microorganisms are commonly termed “superbugs” and are a major public health concern due to their ability to spread in populations and impose large individual and society costs (WHO, 2017). AMR organisms cause more than 2 million infections and approximately 23,000 deaths each year in the United States (Marston, 2016). The economic costs are also substantial, estimated at $20 billion in excess medical spending each year (Marston, 2016).

AMR is causing traditionally curable diseases are becoming increasingly more difficult to treat. Data collected from 77 countries shows that antibiotic resistance in gonorrhea is causing infections to be harder and sometimes impossible to treat, and is on the rise (WHO, 2017).

(WHO, 2017)

Factors Influencing Antimicrobial Resistance

Microorganisms resistant to modern medicine have existed for thousands of years, and appear to predate the antibiotic era. Frozen samples collected from Yukon contained bacteria with resistant mutations 30,000 years before the discovery of penicillin, the world’s first antibiotic (D’Costa, 2011). But despite naturally occurring antibiotic resistance, the number of cases of resistant microorganisms continues to rise, which can be attributable to human activity.
One example is through the overuse of antibiotics. The overuse of antibiotics is in many cases unwarranted, and regiments are frequently not completed, leading to drug resistance. A number of drug-resistant infections are found in hospitals, such as Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). However, impatient antibiotic usage represents only 38.5% of the total antibiotic market (Marston, 2016). A recent American study found that 12.6% of outpatient visits in the US resulted in the prescription of an antibiotic, and 30% of those prescriptions were deemed inappropriate (Marston, 2016). Canada ranks in the middle of 30 European countries in outpatient antimicrobial use.

(Canada, 2017)

The overuse of antibiotics largely stems from over-prescribing of medications for conditions that don’t require antibiotics for treatment. The level of antibiotic prescription across Canada varies by province, with the highest levels found Newfoundland and Labrador.

(Canada, 2017)

Outside of North America and Europe, outpatient antibiotic prescription can account for 20 – 100% of antibiotic use depending on location (Morgan, 2011). In many of these nations, antibiotics are dispensed directly to the consumer, and are more likely to be inappropriately selected and taken at doses below optimum levels (Morgan, 2011).

With increasing levels of drug resistant infections, new medications are needed. However, the pace of new antibiotic development has slowed considerably. There were 16 antibiotics were approved by the FDA between the years 1983 and 1987, but only 2 new antimicrobial drugs were approved between 2008-2012 (Boucher, 2013) and 5 in total since 2012 (Marston, 2016). There are certain characteristics of the antibiotic market that likely hinder pharmaceutical industry investment in new drug development. The limited duration of treatment, relative low prices per dose, and the potential for the rapid emergence of resistance (uncertain market longevity) all diminish revenue prospects for new antimicrobial drugs (Marston, 2016).

The agricultural sector also contributes towards the growing resistance of microorganisms. An association has been found between antibiotic consumption by animals and the existence in humans of microorganisms resistant to the same antibiotic classes (Chantziaras, 2014). In 2014, approximately 82% of antimicrobials important to human medicine were distributed and sold for use in food-producing animals (Health Canada, 2014). The influence of the agricultural use of antibiotics on human health has drawn a range of responses, including policies in Europe banning antibiotic use for animal growth, and regulation from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) encourage similar practices.

Response, methods to combat antimicrobial resistance

Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance starting from local global health departments is very important for managing and controlling AMR. Surveillance captures information about AMR incidence, prevalence, and trends from particular regions. This information can be pooled together to see national and global trends of AMR. The Global Antimicrobial Surveillance System (GLASS) shares data internationally on antimicrobial resistance to inform decision-making, drive local and regional action, and provide an evidence base for action and advocacy (WHO, 2017). In Canada, AMR is monitored by the Canadian Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (CARSS).

(WHO, 2017)

Basic public health measures like sanitation, hand washing, and food and water security can decrease the spread of AMR (WHO). Public Education Campaigns have proven effective on reducing inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics in Belgium and France (Gelband, 2015). There has also been a substantial effort to address inappropriate antibiotic use within hospitals; including implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programs, which seek to reduce inappropriate antibiotic and antimicrobial selection and reduce the inappropriate use of broad-spectrum antimicrobials. However, these stewardships have had limited implementation and acceptance in hospitals (Marston, 2016). Vaccines have a role as well. It is estimated that improved vaccine covered for Streptococcus pneumonia could prevent 11.4 antibiotic days per year in children under 5 years of age worldwide (Laxminarayan, 2016).

Written by Matt Jalink, MSc Candidate in Community Health and Epidemiology

This past Wednesday the Dalhousie Global Health Office had our annual open house event to promote the different programs facilitated by our office and to recognize our community partners and research conducted in the field of global health. Our office operates on the mandate of social accountability, interprofessionalism, and ethical practice. The Dalhousie community had the opportunity to learn more about the programs offered through our office.

Our Service Learning Program lead by Sarah Peddle is an option available to second year medical students. Participating students are matched with a community-based partner organization that works with marginalized, underserved populations. They work collaboratively on a project that is deliverable, and relevant to the community partner and their clients.

Michelle Patrick is the program coordinator for the PLANS (Promoting Leadership in African Nova Scotians) program, which was established to support African Nova Scotians seeking a career in health, and to help create a health system representative of the community it serves. The PLANS program is multifaceted, offering one-on-one advising services, youth summer camp opportunities, and collaborates with the Health Association of African Canadians – Student Organization.

The Indigenous Health Program operating under Dalhousie’s Faculty of Medicine seeks to increase Indigenous student representation in medicine. The program is managed by Joe MacEachern, and is responsible for advising the Dean of Medicine to fulfill the social accountability mandate to the Atlantic province Indigenous community.

Said Msabaha manages international education experiences offered through the Global Health Office. These programs include course electives, internships, and research, and clinical placements for students in the faculties of Medicine, Health and Dentistry. The Global Health Office has a number of strong partner institutions across the globe, and also welcomes incoming students to Dalhousie from partner institutions.

The different student groups were also able to highlight their work, programs and opportunities available to students in health disciplines. Thanks to the Dal Med Global Health Initiative (GHI) and the Dalhousie School of Nursing Global Health Committee. We look forward to an involved, eventful year.

Written by Matt Jalink, MSc Candidate in Community Health and Epidemiology

In November 2016, I spoke with second year medical students (Andy Jin, Chad Purcell, and Sam Armstrong) who were about to begin their Service Learning Program experiences facilitated by the Dalhousie Global Health Office. The Service Learning Program is offered during the first two years of Undergraduate Medical Education at Dalhousie University. The program integrates community engagement concepts into classroom-based learning (Professional Competencies class) in their first year with an optional community-based project experience in their second year. The projects are designed in collaboration with community partners (including staff and people who use their services) and the university (students, staff and Faculty) to address a community-identified priority issue or gap in knowledge.

At the end of their experience, I met with these three students to hear about their Service Learning projects. Chad and Sam worked with Direction 180 and Mainline, two non-profit organizations in Halifax who implement harm reduction programs for people who use drugs. Chad and Sam, created a video to increase awareness of the emerging opioid treatment medication, Naloxone. Andy worked with RECAP , the Centre for Research, Education & Clinical Care of At-Risk Populations in Saint John.

Chad, Sam and Andy found their Service Learning Program experiences to be positive, meaningful and fulfilling. The unique experiences the program offered allowed the students to see how curriculum concepts present in a real world context. All three noted that they felt privileged to have had this opportunity.

The preparation from the Global Health Office helped them feel prepared to work with the community organizations But they spoke about being overwhelmed with the complexity and wealth of information from the clients. The ability to select their project helped the student’s preparation, and the community partners were excellent at filling in the experiences from the populations that they work with on a daily basis.

Chad Purcell

The students had many positive experiences with their community partners. Sam and Chad enjoyed learning about Direction 180’s operations, and the vulnerable population they serve. Creating a video to highlight the realities of the opioid epidemic in Halifax and the life-saving treatment programs Direction 180 offer was rewarding. The goal of the video was to humanize the experience of addiction and educate the public about the potential health consequences and contributing factors to the use of drugs.

Andy greatly enjoyed forming new relationships with the wonderful staff at RECAP. The experience included the development of a financial mentoring program that aims to assist and support clients with their finances.

The challenging aspects of the students’ Service Learning program experiences were dependent on the nature of their project. Sam and Chad found some of the technical aspects of their video shooting challenging. Chad noted that with the help of the staff, the interviews with the patients went smoothly. Sam found editing their video to a reasonable length the most challenging due to ample footage.

Sam Armstrong (middle)

Partaking in the Service Learning program had an influence on the students’ professional development and future career path. Chad and Sam both noted that gaining insight into the lives of the patients that they will one day serve and learning first hand the extent of the opioid crises in Canada to be invaluable experiences towards their career development. Andy also found working directly with patients to be influential in his own career path, and has a greater interest in becoming involved with public health and policy.

I would like to thank Andy, Chad, and Sam for sharing their Service Learning Projects! They were very insightful, conscientious, and impactful for their communities. For more information on available experiences through the Service Learning Program on both Halifax and Saint John campuses, please visit The Service Learning Program’s webpage.

By: Leah Carrier, Dalhousie Nursing student

Attending the Canadian Indigenous Nurses’ Association Conference and Annual General Meeting in Ottawa was one of the highlights of my undergraduate nursing education. As a member of the Indigenous and queer communities, my passion for nursing and health advocacy is rooted in my background and lived experiences advocating for social justice. I am truly grateful for the Johnson Scholarship Foundation conference award for making it possible to attend this important event so that I could expand my research and clinical interests and network with other Indigenous nurses and nursing students.

The theme of this year’s conference was “Creating Authentic Indigenous Partnerships” and focused on key issues for indigenous health such as addressing health inequities, self-governance, and enacting the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. As a student, this was a really great opportunity to meet Indigenous nurses that are already practicing in the community and to learn from Elders about the history of Indigenous nurses and their roles as healers in our communities and nations.

One of the most powerful sessions was Lisa Perley-Dutcher’s talk, which focused on reclaiming wellness through understanding trauma-informed care for Indigenous peoples. Intergenerational trauma is a contributing factor to so many health conditions that affect Indigenous peoples and communities and it is crucial for healthcare providers to understand this context and practice in a culturally safe manner to best address these issues. This means that our Indigenous patients need to feel in control of their healthcare interactions, be able to make informed decisions about their own health care interventions, and to move forward at a pace that works for them. Healthcare providers can help accomplish this by becoming informed about the history of colonization in Canada and by being mindful about experiences of trauma and helplessness when interacting with Indigenous patients and families.